Finishes for surfaces



INVENTOR C. S. DIPPEL ATTORNEY FIG; 2.

c. s. DIPPEL FINISHES FOR SURFACES Filed March 5, 1952 Ha. I.

July 24, 1934.

Patented July 24, 1934 FINISHES FOR SURFACES Cornelius s. Dippel, Woodclifl', N. J., assignor to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application March 5, 1932, Serial No. 596,952

17 Claims.

This invention relates to finishes for surfaces, and more particularly to a method of producing on metal or other surfaces, finishes closely simulatingthe surface and physical characteristics of wood or other grained or patterned materials.

An ,object of the invention is to provide a method of applying to surfaces a finish closely simulating the surface characteristics of a material, which includes a coating containing some of the material the finish is to characterize.

Briefiy, in one embodiment of the invention, a solid material such as dust or flour of a wood, the surface characteristics of which it is desired to simulate, is mixed with a suitable binder, and a coating of the mixture is applied to the metal or other surface that is to be finished. A reproduction of a grain pattern is produced thereon in any suitable manner, after which preservative or other finishing coats are applied.

.tion will become apparent from the following detailed description of one embodiment thereof, by

means of which the method may be practiced, reference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a body of metal with alayer of wood flour mixture applied to a surface thereof;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a transfer pattern, 3 showing-an inked impression of the grain patternpaitially transferred to a roll, and

Fig. 3 is a planviewof the coated surface of Fig.

1, showing theyinked impression of the grain 1 pattern partially transferred thereto.

Referring now to the drawing, wherein like 'reference characters are employed todesignate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and particularly to Fig. 1, the reference numeral 10 indicates a body of material such as metal, havinga surface 11 which may be plane or curved. The surface ll-has applied thereto a coating 12 lof material, the nature of which will presently Other objects and advantages of the inven-' therefrom the inked impression 21- of the grain pattern 17. 1

Fig. 3 shows in elevation the body of metal 10 having the coating 12 previously mentioned in connection with Fig. 1. The transfer roll 20 has 60 been rolled partially across the surface of the coating 12, and an inked impression 25 ,of the grain pattern 17 has been transferred thereto by the roll 20.

In the production of artificial grain pattern finishes on surfaces of such materials as metal, glass, plaster, etc., it has sometimes been the custom to prime the surface with a coating of dull, flat paint of suitable color, after which a grain pattern was transferred thereto in any suitable manner, and preservative or finishing coats of suitable material were applied over the grain pattern. Such artificial grain'pattern finishes have, in some instances, been characterized by lack of depth, which tended to detract from the fidelity of the reproduction.

I The principal feature of the invention is the coating 12 of Figs. 1 and 3that is applied to the surface it is desired to finish. The coating consists of wood dust or flour prepared in any suitable manner such as by grinding, pulverizing or shredding wood, or other similar finely divided substance such, for example, as wood fibres, paper pulp, or textile particles,mixed with a suitable binder. It is especially desirable to employ a cellulosic material such as one of those mentioned, for the reason that it may readily be colored by dyes. The principal requirements of the binder are that it may mix readily and thoroughly with a solid material such as wood flour and form a homogeneous composition therewith, that it may dry readily to produce ahard durable coating, and that it may adhere firmly to the surface to which it is applied. Examples of materials which possess the desired properties and which may be employed as a binder for coata ing to the finished coating certain desired physical properties such as mechanical hardness, abrasive resistance, etc: Several substances have been found toimpart desirable properties to the mixture, such, for example, as silica, asbestine, china clay, asbestos fibre, and other= inert materials. The enumerated materials impart different properties to the mixture, and the choice of material is dependent upon the properties desired.

In preparing a mixture suitable for coating a surface prior to transferring thereto a wood grain pattern, it has been found advantageous to stain or dye the wood flour before mixing it with the binder. The stain or dye may thus penetrate thoroughly into the particles of the wood, and uniformity in the coloring of the undercoating mixture is obtained. It has also been found advantageous to employ in the mixture wood flour of at least two different sizes of mesh. The use of particles of different sizes results in a mottled effect that may be highly desirable.

The relative quantities of the essential ingredients in the undercoating mixture are, in general, dependent upon the characteristics of the surface to which the mixture is to be applied, such as porosity, smoothness, etc., and also upon the characteristics desired of the finished undercoating, such as hardness, porosity, and other physical properties. The following is an example of one undercoating mixture prepared in accordance with the invention.

2.4 lb. Wood flour 20O mesh (colored with 3% solution of dye) .6 lb. Wood flour mesh (colored with 1% solution of dye) 1.5 lb. Silica 300 mesh 1. pint binder As previously indicated, the mixture of wood flour, inert material, and binder serves as an undercoat or foundation for a reproduction of a wood grain finish. In the preferred embodiment of the invention the wood flour that is employed in the undercoating is of the same wood as the grain pattern that is to be reproduced. Thus, if a surface of metal or other material is to be finished to simulate mahogany, for example, ma-

- results in a naturalness of appearance that closely approximates actual wood. The use of an undercoat containing wood flour affords a very decided advantage, particularly in the finishing of metal and other non-porous surfaces, in that dyes or stains of the proper color for the particular finish to be produced may be applied to the wood flour before its introduction into the undercoat mixture, or. to the undercoat after it has dried upon the surface. In this way, the coloring matter penetrates into the particles of the wood foundation, whereas formerly, in graining surfaces such as metal, it was sometimes the practice to coat the-surface with any suitable paint, and the background color for the grain pattern was a surface color only, and not an absorbed color.

The process of reproducing a wood grain finish on metal or other surface in accordance with the invention is begun by preparing and applying the undercoat. The ingredients for the mixture are chosen in accordance with existing and desired conditions, as previously set forth, and they are thoroughly mixed in any suitable manner. The mixture may be applied to the surface by spraying, by brushing, or by means of a trowel, depending on several conditions, one of which may be the viscosity of the mixture. After an even coating of the mixture has been applied to the surface, it is permitted to dry, the length of time required for drying depending upon the type of binder employed and the thickness of the coating. The coating maythen be sanded smooth, or left as it dried, as desired. Suitable finishing coats may then be applied, if desirable, examples of such finishing coats being stain, lacquer, varnish, oil, etc.

When the undercoating has been thus prepared, it is ready to receive a grain pattern. The reproduction of a grain pattern may be accomplished in any convenient manner, one method including the use of a transfer roll being shown in Figs. 2 and 3. In practicing this method, the surface of a selected body of wood,

the grain pattern of which it is desired to reproduce, is treated in any suitable manner such as by brushing with or without cleansing solutions to remove foreign materials from the surface and pores of the wood. The surface is then coated with suitable paint, pigment, or transfer ink, and the excess is wiped away, leaving the pores filled with the transfer fluid. An adhesive roll of any suitable material such as a printer's roll or gelatine roll is rolled across the inked surface. As the surface of the roll contacts with the fluid in the pores of the wood, some of the fluid adheres to the roll, thus producing thereon a fluid impression of the grain pattern. While the fluid on the roll is still moist, the roll may be rolled across the surface to which the undercoating has been applied as hereinbefore described. Some of the fluid will adhere to the prepared surface in the pattern that was impressed on the roll, and in this way, a reproduction of the selected grain pattern will be deposited on the prepared surface. After the reproduction of the grain pattern has thoroughly dried, any suitable finishing, preservative, or protective coatings may be applied thereto, and when such coatings are dry, they may be sanded, rubbed, or permitted to remain with their natural gloss.

The use of an undercoating containing substantial quantities of cellulosic material such as wood flour in the finishing of metal or other surfaces by means of any grain reproducing process such as the one described above affords several advantages which are of particular importance. The cellulosic material serves as a background for the grain pattern, and provides depth and naturalness of appearance, so that the final product is an accurate simulation of natural wood. The use of a wood flour that corresponds to the desired finish, such as mahogany wood flour for a mahogany grain pattern, provides for the grain pattern a background particularly well suited to bring out the characteristics of the grain pattern. The undercoat also serves as insulation to heat and sound. It is well known that metal objects such as metal furniture rapidly conduct heat from objects with which they come in conin the undercoating, nor particular proportions of those materials. .Any suitable type of cellulosic material may be employed in'the mixture, either alone or with other types of cellulosic ma- 5 terials. Different kinds of wood flours may be used together in the mixture, or wood flour and paper pulp or textile particles such as cotton linters, and'novel and interesting effects may be obtained by using carefully chosen combinations of different materials. The addition of fibrous materials such as textile fibres also increases the mechanical strength of the coating by binding the particles of wood an inert material into an inseparable mass. I The invention is not limited to use on the sur faces of particular materials, nor to the reproduction of particular finishes. Finishes employing an undercoating prepared in accordance with the invention may be applied to wood, metal, glass, plaster, paper, fibre, leather, textiles, clay, stone, and other surfaces. The finishes may be prepared to simulate wood, leather, marble, or other materials possessing grain patterns or other surface characteristics.

The foregoing description is confined principally to a single embodiment of the invention, by means of which the process may be practiced, but it is to be understood that it is capable of many variations and modifications, within the scope of the appended claims. 1

What is claimed is:

1. A method of finishing surfaces which comprises applying a coating of wood flour to a surface, and treating the coating to simulate a wood grain pattern on the surface thereof.

2. A method of finishing surfaces which comprises mixing wood flour with a binder, apply-' ing a coating of the mixture to a surface, and reproducing on the coated surface a grain pattern characteristic of the wood contained in the coating.

3. A method of finishing surfaces which comprises staining wood flour in accordance with the nature of the desired finish, mixing the wood flour with a binder, applying a coating of the mixture to a surface, and treating the coating to simulate a wood grain pattern on the surface thereof.

4. A method of finishing-surfaces which comprises staining wood flour to approximate the usual finish of such wood, applying a coating of the wood flour to a surface, and reproducing on the coated surface a grain pattern characteristic of the wood contained in the coating.

5. A method of finishing surfaces which comprises mixing wood fiour with a binder, applying a coating of the mixture to a surface, staining the coating in accordance with the nature 'of the wood, and treating the coating to simulate a woodgrain pattern on the surface thereof.

.6. A method of finishing surfaces which comprises mixing wood fiour with-a binder; applying a coating of the mixture to a surface, staining the coating to approximately the usual color of finishes of suchwood, and reproducing on the coated surface a grain pattern characteristic of the wood contained in the coating.

'7. A method of finishing a surface which com,- prises preparing a mixture of finely divided. particles of a specific material having a characteristic natural surface appearance in its undivided state with a binder, applying a coating of the mixture to a surface to be finished, and treat ing the coating'to produce thereon a surface ap- 75,pearance simulating the characteristic natural surface appearance of the specific material in its undivided state.

8. A method of finishing a surface to simulate in'appearance a material having a) characteristic natural surface appearance in its undividedstate which comprises staining finely divided particles of the material in accordance with the nature of the material, mixing the stained particles with a binder, applying a coating of the mixture to a. surface to be finished, and treating the coating to produce thereon a surface appearance characteristic of the material in its undivided state.

9. A method of finishing a blank characterless surface to simulate a material having in its undivided state a characteristic natural surface appearance which comprises coating the surface with finely divided particles of the material and treating the coating to simulate the characteristic natural surface of the material in its undivided state.

10. A method of finishing a blank characterless surface to simulate a material having in its undivided state a characteristic natural surface appearance which comprises coating the surface with finely divided particles of two sizes of the material and treating the coating to simulate the characteristic natural surface of the material in its undivided state.

11. As a new article of manufacture, an article having a coating of finely divided material which 1 in its undivided state has a characteristic natural surface appearance, the coating being treated to simulate in appearance the undivided material.

12. A method of finishing surfaces which comprises mixing wood flour with a binder, applying a coating of the mixture to a surface, and reproducing on the coated surface a grain pattern characteristic of wood.

13. A method of finishing surfaces which comprises staining wood flour to approximate the 5 usual finish of such wood, applying a coating of the wood flour to a surface, and reproducing on the coated surface a grain pattern characteristic of wood.

14. A method of finishing surfaces which comprises mixing wood fiour with a binder, applying a coating of the mixture to a surface, staining the coating to approximately the usual color of finishes of such wood, and reproducing on the coated surface a grain pattern characteristic of wood.

15. A method of finishing surfaces which comprises mixing wood fiour containing particles of two different sizes with a binder, applying a coating of the mixture to a surface, and reproducing on the coated surface a grain pattern, characteristic of the wood contained in the.c oat-- mg. i

16. A method of finishing surfaces which comprises staining wood flour containing particles two different sizes with a binder, applying a coating of the mixture to a surface, staining the coating to approximately the usual color of finishes of such wood, and reproducing on the coated surface a grainpattem,characteristio at mud contained in the coating.

ooamms s. DIPPEL. 

